Business Reporter
ZINARA has just wiped the slate clean by settling a hefty US$206 million debt to South Africa’s DBSA, sending a bold signal to the world that Zimbabwe honors its commitments.
With this decade-old loan erased, ZINARA has uncluttered its books, freeing up cash for real, people-centered road projects instead of lingering repayments.
Financial performance has surged, with two consecutive years of clean audits and revenue growth of 111% since 2021. In 2025 alone, ZINARA funneled 73% of its collections—over 8.7 billion ZiG—straight into the hands of local road authorities. Instead of resting on its laurels, the agency cranked up its ambitions, shifting from patchwork fixes to durable, impactful upgrades.
On the roads, change is accelerating. ZINARA is investing in digital solutions that will bring faster toll gates with new e-tag lanes and an innovative e-wallet system. Motorists will soon spend less time in queues and more time on the move. Enforcement is smarter, too, with technology pinpointing actual offenders rather than blanket stops.
Some challenges persist. Administration costs are still above the legal threshold, but ZINARA’s leadership promises they’re closing in on compliance. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s roads are busier than ever. Vehicle registrations have doubled from 2024, and there are now over 1.1 million active cars nationwide—a sharp uptick that underscores why reliable road funding is so urgent.
Transparency is taking center stage. ZINARA has piloted a digital tool that lets citizens track exactly where every road fund dollar lands—from council allocations to equipment and upgrades. Soon, the public will get access to comprehensive road condition reports and new weighbridges designed to crack down on overloaded trucks and preserve fresh infrastructure.
With the DBSA loan now history, ZINARA is trading survival mode for impact. The agency’s vision is clearer than ever—real accountability, smoother journeys, and road networks that stand the test of time. For Zimbabwean motorists, that could mean shorter queues, fewer potholes, and finally seeing their road fees put to good use.
